Department Information

Dinand Departments

Reference Librarians are available Sunday, 2-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to assist you with your research. Individual research consultations may also be arranged by contacting any of the Reference Librarians. The Main Reading Room contains reference books including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and bibliographies.  Go to LibGuides for subject specific pathfinders.


Scholars' Workstation PC's and online library catalog terminals are also located in the Main Reading Room.. For instruction in using any of our online resources please contact a Reference Librarian at x2259 or consult the online help section of each database.


Books and bound periodicals are arranged in the Stacks according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Call numbers beginning with the letters A-G are shelved in the upper stacks and H-Z are shelved in the lower stacks. Items with call numbers beginning with the letters Q-T are shelved in the Science Library and those with call numbers beginning with the letter M can be found in the Music Library.

You may charge out materials at the Circulation Desk using your Holy Cross ID. The borrowing period for students is 4 weeks (28 days) with an overdue fine of 10 cents per day. Reference books, rare books and Reserve materials do not circulate outside Dinand Library. Periodicals circulate only to faculty and may be checked out for a one week period. Audio and video materials may be charged out for a 48 hour period.


Current periodicals and current newspapers are shelved in the Periodicals Room which is located to the left of the main entrance. Many periodical indexes and abstracts are also located in this area. For a complete listing of the libraries' indexes and abstracts, please consult our Electronic Databases.

The Microform Room, with microfilm, microfiche and microcards and microfilm readers and printers, is located on the second floor. The microform collection consists primarily of newspapers and periodicals.

The Reserve Room is located on the second floor. Books and articles that are required reading are shelved here. Our audio materials are also kept in this area. To borrow Reserve materials, you will need your Holy Cross ID. The loan period is 2 hours with overdue fines of 25 cents for the first hour and 50 cents for each additional hour. Reserve materials may be used in Dinand Library only. The Reserve room closes 1/2 hour prior to the library.

The Interlibrary Loan Department is located on the second floor. You may obtain books or periodical articles not owned by Holy Cross from other libraries by using this service. For more detailed information about using the Interlibrary Loan service, please consult the Interlibrary Loan Guidelines. The Interlibrary Loan office is open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The Special Collections, located on the third floor, include the following:

- Jesuitana: books principally by Jesuit authors of the 15th to 17th centuries.
- Americana: books of special interest published in America prior to 1829.
- John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890) collection: letters and first editions
- James Michael Curley (1874-1958) collection: scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, microfilm. Curley was Mayor of Boston and Governor of Massachusetts.
- Louise Imogene Guiney (1861-1920) collection: poems, essays, correspondence, photographs.
- Frank W. Stearns (1856-1939) collection: correspondence, scrapbooks. Stearns was a Boston merchant and political advisor to Calvin Coolidge.
- Treasure books (books identified in the online catalog with treasure preceding the call number) are also found in the Archives.

Research assistance concerning the use of these materials should be arranged with the Archives and Special Collections Department, which is staffed M-F 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

The College Archives is located on the third floor. The archives consist of historical documents, college records, student publications, yearbooks, photographs and many other items pertaining to the College. The Archives are open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Acquisitions Department is located in the Technical Services area on the first floor. All requests for library purchases may be placed here. Each academic department has a library liaison to assist with selecting and/or ordering materials. To find the name of the library liaison for a specific department, please consult our list, Library Liaisons. For more information on ordering library materials, please consult our guide, Ordering Library Materials.

The Cataloging Department is part of the Technical Services Department located on the first floor. After books have been received through Acquisitions, they are cataloged and processed here. Rush cataloging services are available for recently received materials.